This paper presents an interactive CAD platform that uses a tangible user interface to visualize and modify 3D geometry through manipulation of physical artifacts.The tangible user interface attempts to move away from the commonly used non-intuitive desktop CAD environment to a 3D CAD environment that more accurately mimics traditional desktop drawing and pin-up situations. An important goal is to reduce the apparent complexity of CAD user interfaces and reduce the cognitive load on designers. Opportunities for extending tangible design media toward an interactive CAD platform are discussed.